


Give a Dog a Bone

by AboutBatman (MistyDawn)



Series: Superbat Week 2020 [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons), Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Animal Transformation, Clark thinks it's hilarious, Dog Bruce, Dog Collars, He isn't happy about it, M/M, Magic, Superbat Week 2020, X-ray Vision, no beta we die like illiterate fools, yes bruce gets turned into a dog
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:02:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25554007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistyDawn/pseuds/AboutBatman
Summary: “Superman, come in,” Wally’s voice came over the comm in Clark’s ear. “We have a…uh…situation.”“Coming,” he replied, he turned in the air and sped back to the rest of the Justice League. They were standing in a tight circle with their backs to him.He touched down on the ground as Diana turned to face him. “There has been an incident involving Batman,” she said.The cold grip of fear tightened itself around Clark’s heart. What had happened? If Klarion had harmed Bruce, he would hunt the boy down and twist his head until—“He got turned into a dog!” Flash exclaimed, looking way too happy at the proclamation.Bruce gets turned into a dog and Clark has to deal with it.Superbat Week 2020: Day 2- X-Ray Vision
Relationships: Clark Kent/Bruce Wayne
Series: Superbat Week 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1851754
Comments: 16
Kudos: 157





	Give a Dog a Bone

**Author's Note:**

> Iv'e had this idea for a while but i kinda gave up on it. Then I said why not and literally wrote this in a day for suberbat week! I apologise if there are any spelling mistakes because this is unbeta'd.
> 
> For Superbat Week 2020: Day 2- X-Ray Vision

Clark sped through the bushes, expecting to find Klarion the Witch Boy on the other side of the foliage, but he wasn’t there. Instead there was just the open grass of Metropolis central park.

“Superman, come in,” Wally’s voice came over the comm in Clark’s ear. “We have a…uh…situation.”

“Coming,” he replied, he turned in the air and sped back to the rest of the Justice League. They were standing in a tight circle with their backs to him.

He touched down on the ground as Diana turned to face him. “There has been an incident involving Batman,” she said.

The cold grip of fear tightened itself around Clark’s heart. What had happened? If Klarion had harmed Bruce, he would hunt the boy down and twist his head until—

“He got turned into a dog!” Flash exclaimed, looking way too happy at the proclamation.

Clark’s brain stuttered to a stop. A dog? What on Earth was Wally talking about? The group parted to allow Clark a view of a jet-black Alsatian sitting regally in a pile of black fabric. Fabric that looked worryingly similar to Batman’s armour. “Oh,” he said lamely.

“Yep.” Wally grinned.

“Are we sure it’s him?”

Shayera nodded. “I saw the transformation, but you can double check if you want.”

Clark peered down past Bruce’s skin with his x-ray vision. It was odd seeing the dog skeleton in place of a human one, especially one so similar. Although the bones had changed shape, they still held the various injuries that Clark expected to find. There was evidence of healed hairline fractures along the left tibia, the ribs were filled with healed bone form all the times Bruce had broken them, and the metal implants, although changed slightly in shape, were still fasted to Bruce’s spine from when he had undergone surgery after Bane broke his back. “It’s definitely him.”

John Steward stepped towards Clark. “Any sign of Klarion? We need to find him if we want Batman back.” The dog growled at the statement and John rolled his eyes. “Okay, if we want a _human_ Batman back.”

The dog sat back on its hind legs, evidently pleased with the correction.

Clark shook his head in bewilderment. “So Klarion changed Batman into a dog? What was the point of that?”

“I’m as stumped as you Supes! Honestly, I can’t make heads or _tails_ of what that witch boy does.” Wally giggled as he delivered the pun.

Shayera and John groaned. The dog bared its teeth at Flash.

Diana looked to Clark. “It was most likely a distraction for his escape. Green Lantern is right, we should find the boy as soon as possible, before the magic becomes binding.”

Wally did a lunge to stretch his leg muscles. “Well he can’t have gone far. I’ll have a quick look around the park. Don't worry, I’ll get him in no time!” There was a blur and then an empty space where the man had once stood. A few seconds later the blur returned. “Yeahhh…I can’t find him.”

“We must start the search immediately. Superman, you have experience with dogs, yes?” Diana asked.

“Uh…I suppose. I have Krypto but he usually looks after himself,” Clark said.

“You will stay with Batman and survey the park in case Klarion returns. The rest of us will start searching the city.”

The Justice League disbanded and went in different directions before Clark could get a word in. He was left standing beside Bruce, who looked mildly inconvenienced that he had been left out of the action.

“Well, I think I can safely say I didn’t think today would go like this.” Which in all honesty was a massive understatement. Him and Bruce had planned to go to a fancy dinner that night to celebrate their one year anniversary…they had also planned some _other_ activities which involved some very tasteful black lace lingerie, but now all their plans were postponed indefinitely.

Bruce’s triangle ears flattened for a moment and he barked in agreement— at least he seemed disappointed too.

Clark reached forward and patted him on the head, the dog growled and pulled away, clearly indignant at being petted. Clark laughed. “Who knows, maybe you’ll be back to normal before the night is over.”

Bruce whined but managed to make it sound annoyed. Clark bundled up the Batman costume and hid it in a crop of tall bushes, then he twisted into a super speed blur and changed into his civilian clothes. Now, to anyone walking in the park, he would just look like a normal man out for a walk with his dog.

Except Bruce was nowhere to be seen. “Bruce! Where are you!” he called.

There was a stream of barking just over the hill and Clark shook his head as he began to run toward the noise. He had literally left Bruce for a few seconds and he had managed to get into a fight.

Clark crested the hill and was shocked to find a very small, and very aggressive chihuahua snarling and barking at Bruce as an old lady desperately tugged on its leash. “Bad dog, bad dog! Shoo!” she screamed.

Clark clambered up the rest of the slippery grass and managed to put himself between Bruce, who was starting to growl, and the violent chihuahua. “Oh gosh, I’m so sorry! I turned my back for two seconds and he ran away!”

The old lady picked up her snarling devil dog and held it close to her chest. “Have you seen the size of that thing! It tried to bite my precious little baby’s head off!”

Bruce made a strangled noise that sounded like a disbelieving huff. Clark was guessing he had done no such thing. He put hands up to placate her. “Honestly, I am so sorry.” He turned to Bruce. “Bad dog!” Clark barely managed to keep his smile off his face as he said it.

Bruce huffed a growl and turned away.

“What on Earth were you thinking letting that _beast_ run about without a leash?!” The lady’s face was turning red as she worked herself up. “He could have killed somebody,” she hissed.

Bruce's ears flattened and he gave the woman a stern look. She actually looked chastised as she took a step back. Clark put a steadying hand on Bruce’s head. “Yes, I was…uh…just going to buy a collar for him.” Bruce looked up at Clark sharply, but he didn’t look down, he honestly didn’t know if he could deal with whatever look Bruce was trying to give him.

The woman rolled her shoulders back in an attempt to look as haughty as possible, “Well see to it that you do, it is the in the rules after all.” She pointed at a sign that clearly stated all dogs must be kept leashed at all times.

“Oh, I didn’t see that.” Clark had the decency to look embarrassed. It only riled Bruce up more.

The woman put her dog back on the ground and made to leave. “I suggest you go straight away. There’s a pet shop near the entrance of the part. If I see that dog loose again,” she jammed a finger towards Bruce, “I _will_ call the authorities.”

* * *

The pet shop turned out to be a massive store with rows upon rows of shelving stuffed with everything a pet could ever want. Clark had to admit he was a little lost, whenever Krypto wanted something, the fortress computers would simply synthesise it for him, so he rarely had to step foot in a pet store.

“Oh my god! Your dog is beautiful!”

Clark whirled around to find one of the staff members cooing over Bruce. She was a petite girl, with dog paw pins stuck to her lanyard and she seemed completely enamoured with Bruce.

Clark blushed. He had no idea what to say to that, so he stammered out, “Thanks.”

She bent on one knee and reached forward to pet Bruce. Clark watched with amazement as Bruce actually let her.

“Oh, look at his beautiful blue eyes.” The girl didn’t even look at Clark, too engaged in stroking Bruce’s soft fur. “Did you get him from a breeder?”

Okay…now Clark _really_ didn’t know how to answer. “He actually belongs to a friend of mine. I’m just looking after him for a bit.”

Bruce seemed to like the petting because he moved his head for the woman so she could reach more of his neck.

“He usually doesn’t let people pet him like that.” Clark said.

The woman smiled and put on a high voice to talk directly to the dog. “It’s because he’s such a good boy! Yes! Who’s a good boy? You are!”

Clark knew at that moment that Bruce would never live this down.

She looked up at Clark. “I’m Mindy by the way.” She stopped petting and took Clark’s hand, guiding it down onto Bruce’s black coat of fur. “Just pet him like this. I guarantee he will like it.”

Bruce gave him a dirty look but made no movement to stop Clark as he ran his hand through his fur. It was thick and smooth, almost silky as his hand passed over it. Bruce lost the tension in his body and began to push up into the strokes and wag his tail.

Mindy smiled. “See I told you he would like it. Let’s see if he wants his belly scratched.” She began to pet the sides of Bruce’s body and he rolled over onto his back.

Bruce looked just as surprised as Clark, almost like the dog brain had taken over the human part and moved his body of its own accord. Clark laughed and started giving Bruce belly scritches. “I guess he’s full of surprises today,” he said.

Bruce let out a happy huff as his hindleg started moving along with the two humans petting. The woman smiled. “Your friend is lucky to have such a well-behaved dog.”

“Actually, that’s why I’m here. I want to walk him in the park, but I need to buy him a lead.”

“Oh, we have loads! Let me show you!” Mindy jumped up and led Bruce and Clark to the far side of the store. There was an entire wall dedicated to collars and leashes in every size and colour imaginable. “See any you like?”

Clark walked along the wall; he was about to pick out a simple black collar when he noted a colourful display at the end of the isle.

_Bingo._

It was a superhero display, with collars that were colour coordinated to different heros in America, there was a large section dedicated to the Justice League. Clark turned to Bruce with a grin. “What do you think, Bruce? See any you like?”

Bruce put his paws up in the lower shelf and extended his neck to try and grab the Batman collar with his mouth. It was too high, and he only succeeded in pointing his snout in its general direction. Clark reached up towards it but veered to the Superman collar directly beside it. “Great choice! I think you’ll look great in the Superman colours.”

He took the matching lead off the hook and held the collar up to Bruce’s neck. It was blue and red, with a House of El symbol hanging from the clasp on the front. “What do you think, Mindy?”

The staff worker clapped her hands together. “I think it looks great! The colours will stand out well against the black fur.”

Bruce pulled his lip back at Clark. Clark just smiled. “We’ll take these then.” They walked to the cash register and Clark got his wallet out to pay. Mindy tapped at the computer screen as she rang him up. “Do you want the pendant engraved with anything? I have a machine that can do it now, it’ll only take a few minutes.”

Clark swiped his card. “Sure! Just the name ‘Bruce’ please.”

Mindy unclipped the pendant. “Are you sure you don’t want to put your information on in case he gets lost?”

An evil idea spawned in Clarks head. “Yes actually. That’s a good idea. Write the name ‘Bruce’ and then underneath write ‘Property of Clark. If lost call 201-732-7810’.”

“Great! I’ll be back with it in a minute!” She said as she disappeared around the corner.

Clark took the collar off the counter and knelt down beside Bruce. Bruce growled and looked away. “Now, don’t be like that. It’s just a bit of fun.”

Bruce gave him an abashed look as Clark fastened the large collar around his neck. “There, that doesn’t look so bad does it?”

Bruce looked at him with piercing blue eyes as if to say, _“I can’t see it, you dimwit.”_

Someone cleared their throat behind them. Clark rose to his feet and turned to face them. It was a squat man with horn-rimmed glasses and a large tabby cat curled in his arms. “Quite the dog you have there.”

“Thanks.” Clark replied.

The man turned his nose up at them. “That wasn’t a compliment, Darling. I never understood why people liked dogs. They are brutish animals, so big and dirty. Not like my beautiful cat.” He trailed his clawed fingers over the cats back as it purred.

“Oh, okay.” Clark looked down at Bruce, he looked back seemingly just as puzzled as Clark was.

“Yes, a dog could never be as elegant and as beautiful as a cat.” The cat opened its fluorescent green eyes and hissed at Bruce. “Perhaps you should bring that mangy dog to the pound, then you wouldn’t have to deal with the burden of looking after a useless animal.” The man laughed in tandem with the cat’s purring, almost as if they were sharing a private joke.

Mindy came back. “All done!” She stepped forward and clipped the Superman symbol onto the dog collar.

“How quaint.” The man said with a wide grin. He looked malevolent, in fact, even the cat managed to look evil.

Something wasn’t right. The hair was standing up on Bruce’s back as he growled lowly at the man, it didn’t sit right with Clark either, there was something off about him.

“I don’t think you could have picked a tackier collar if you tried. Then again, I didn’t expect you to have much taste.” The man laughed again, it was high pitched, almost _too_ high.

Clark looked at him with his x-ray vision. The thing about magic was that it was very good at concealing things from a person’s sight. Most people however, didn’t have Clark’s eyes. He looked at the man and his cat and immediately saw the red magic wreathing both creatures, he watched as it wavered under the pressure of his x-rays and crumbled to reveal Klarion and his cat familiar, Treacle.

“Klarion!” Clark exclaimed.

The man's smile widened and then he dropped his glamour. “Ah, perhaps you are cleverer than I had thought.” He went to teleport away but Bruce was faster. He lunged forward, trapping the magical cat in his powerful jaws.

“Unhand Treacle you fiend!” The witch boy shouted. He dropped the cat and dog to the floor and shot a magical blast at Bruce. Treacle got free and promptly ran out the front door and into the park.

Klarion ran after her, followed closely by Clark and Bruce. Clark raised his hand to his in-ear comm and paged the rest of the Justice League. “I’m pursuing Klarion, he’s running towards the trees at the East of the green.”

“Copy. Returning to the park.” Green Lantern replied.

The witch boy ducked into the tree cover just as Bruce tackled him. He kicked the dog off, but Clark was ready and slammed the boy into the dirt as he tried to get up. The cat sprang out of the bushes on a collision course with Clark’s head but was apprehended by Bruce.

Clark grabbed Klarions lapel and hauled him up so that his feet were dangling in mid-air. “Reverse the spell you put on Batman.”

Klarion rolled his eyes. “Now why would I do that?”

“Because we intend to make you.” Diana and the rest of the league touched down in the tree clearing. She had a thunderous expression on her face and her golden lasso curled tightly in her fist. “Do you wish to return him to his human form of your own free will or do you want me to use the lasso of truth on you.

Klarion gulped. “Fine,” he said tersely. Red magic coiled around Bruce, it swirled and writhed and then dissipated, leaving a human Bruce in its wake. “Are you happy now?”

“Yeah.” John said, then he used a fist construct from his green lantern ring to knock the boy out.

Clark handed the boy over to Diana and ran to Bruce’s side. “Bruce! Are you alright?”

Bruce nodded. “I think so. Just feels a bit weird to have opposable thumbs again.”

Clark smiled in relief and then blushed at the sight of the Superman collar still sitting around Bruce’s neck. Bruce was completely naked, the fact that the collar was the only thing he was wearing made it very noticeable. “I…uh…guess we should throw that away.”

Bruce reached up and unbuckled it. He weighed it in his hands for a moment. “Well, maybe we can find a use for it.” He looked up at Clark with a playful twist to his lips. “Our anniversary celebrations are back on, after all.”

**Author's Note:**

> So I literally wrote this very quickly today, so please excuse how rushed it is plus any grammar mistakes. I wasn't really planning on doing Day 2, but here we are! I hope you all enjoyed!
> 
> Comments and kudos are appreciated <3
> 
> Come see me on my Tumblr [aboutbatman!](https://aboutbatman.tumblr.com/)


End file.
